Early results from a trial of a new kidney disease drug showed that the drug significantly reduced urinary target levels of kidney damage.
The experimental drug, currently known as BI690517, reduces the level of hepatic albumin in the urine of patients with chronic kidney disease by half.
Albumin levels in the urine have long been used to measure the progression of kidney disease.
We think these findings have a big impact and could change practice," said Kathleen Tuttle, lead author of the study and clinical professor of nephrology at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.
The study was funded by Brrisson Invlivan Pharmaceuticals and published in The Lancet on December 15.
According to the American Kidney Association, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the loss of the ability of the contralateral organ to perform critical functions, such as removing waste from the body, maintaining mineral balance in the body, and helping to maintain healthy blood pressure. This condition is often linked to other long-term problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Typically, people with chronic kidney disease need dialysis to stay alive.
As Tuttle's team explains, the body utilizes a hormone called aldosterone to help regulate sodium and potassium levels and keep blood pressure stable. However, if there is too much aldosterone, this process becomes unbalanced, which may accelerate the progression of kidney disease.
The trouble is that two standard medications for kidney disease, ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists (ARBS), can also cause aldosterone levels to spike.
We have known for decades that aldosterone is a major driver of inflammation and fibrosis formation in the kidneys and heart. But it's hard to target**, Tetep explained at a university press conference.
BI 690517 works by reducing the production of aldosterone.
The new trial involved 586 people with chronic kidney disease. All patients were already on ACE inhibitors or ARBs, and half were on a new diabetes drug, empagliflozin (Jardiance).
Drugs like BI690517 may increase the risk of a dangerous condition called hyperkalemia, but empagliflozin can counteract this effect, the researchers explained.
This gives us the opportunity to test the effectiveness of BI 690517 in increasing the kidney-protective effects and reducing the use of this class of drugs," Tuttle noted. This *** limits the use of this class of drugs.
In the trial, patients first received two months of meampuril or a corresponding placebo**. Subsequently, they were randomly assigned to take 3 mg of BI or 20 mg per day, or a corresponding placebo, for the next three and a half months.
When the level of albumin in the urine is reduced to 30% or more of its original level – this suggests that BI690517 is helping the kidneys.
According to the study, half of those who used BI 690517 alone experienced this level of benefit, while that number rose to 70% among those who used both BI 690517 and empagliflozin.
The research team said that while people who took BI 690517 had a higher chance of developing hyperkalemia compared to those who took a placebo, most of these cases turned out to be mild.
Speaking at a university news conference, Tete expressed cautious optimism that BI 690517 might one day be able to free some dialysis patients.
Seventy-five percent of dialysis patients have diabetes or hypertensive nephropathy, and if we can raise awareness of these diseases, improve their conditions and enable them to be detected early, these can make dialysis almost redundant. "It's possible." ”
More information. Visit the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to learn more about chronic kidney disease.
*: University of Washington School of Medicine and University of Washington Medical Center, press release, December 15, 2023.
An experimental drug may offer hope to patients undergoing dialysis** kidney disease.
Copyright 2023 Healthday. All rights reserved.